Hatfield Township meth dealer gets 7 years probation

By Margaret GibbonsStaff writer

Wednesday

Feb 27, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Criminal justice officials will spend the next seven years looking over the shoulder of a Hatfield Township man who had an alleged mid-level role in a methamphetamine trafficking ring that spanned the North Penn area and the central section of the county.

Jeffrey M. Penna, 42, of the 1200 block of Cabin Road, Monday received a seven-year probation sentence for his admitted involvement in the drug ring.

His brother, David Penna, 36, of the 1800 block of Valley Forge Road, Towamencin, already is serving a four-year probation sentence after admitting his involvement with the group.

Authorities in May 2012 announced the breakup of the drug ring following the arrests of 32 suspected drug dealers and drug users.

The alleged ringleaders of the group, according to authorities at the time, were Francesco “Frank” Messina, 43, formerly of the 700 block of Schwab Road in Hatfield Township, and Tony Dudas, 36, of the 100 block of Mine Run Road, Limerick.

Methamphetamine manufactured on the West Coast would be transported to the Philadelphia area and brought to Cosmos Motors in the 100 block of East Blaine Street, Lansdale, the criminal complaint said. The drugs then would be sold from Cosmos Motors, an auto body repair shop primarily operated by Messina, according to the criminal complaint.

County and municipal narcotics investigators last year were already looking into alleged drug activities by Messina and the two Penna brothers when an anonymous citizen tipped them off about Messina’s possible involvement in methamphetamine trafficking.

Based on information that had already been accumulated during their investigation and coupled with the tip they received, authorities were able to get court approval to wiretap phones used by Messina and, later, Dudas, the two major targets of the methamphetamine investigation.

The information garnered from the wiretaps subsequently led them to other members of the alleged drug trafficking ring, according to the criminal complaint.

Both Messina and Dudas also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug ring and are waiting to be sentenced.